The city's mayor has opened the first section of the new Rhine boulevard and hundreds of people attended the ceremony. Up to 10 thousand people will be able to sit on the steps. The 500 meter long construction is part of the Rhine boulevard, whose total construction cost almost 25 million euros.

It is scheduled for completion by the end of this year. The aim of the project is to polish up the image of the city districts on the right bank of the Rhine. Visitors to the steps can enjoy free WiFi access courtesy of Internet provider NetCologne.

ot/ak/pw (dpa)